I ACQUIRED THE TWO “BATHING BEAUTY” PHOTOS SEVERAL YEARS AGO. From the moment I saw them, I thought the pair represented a great metaphor for the crucifixion and descent from the cross by Jesus. OK—it’s a stretch, but it’s what I see. All of this from the excellent job my Northern Renaissance art history professor, Dr. Lloyd Benjamin, did on me at East Carolina University in 1972.

Let’s look at the top photo. Check out the grimace on the woman’s face and the outstretched arms. And, let’s not forget the crossed feet where the bottom nail was driven. It appears she is holding a salt shaker in her left hand—forget about that.

The photo under the first one— this is the dead Christ figure if I have ever seen one. Look at the shape of the body, the limp and bent figure. The entire figure has a death-like pose.